Signals
Marblehead
Cambridge
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 17%
Climate
63 · Bottom 27%
vs65 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 27%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs41 · Bottom 5%
Schools
88 · Top 5%
vs74 · Top 21%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Marblehead | Cambridge | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,413 | 118,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $182,132 | $130,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $103,980 | $78,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,662/sq mi | 18,571/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $943,900 | $1,092,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,764 | $2,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.2% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 78.3% | 80.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.4% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.0 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.1 | 30.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.48 | 9.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.7% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.8% | 54.6% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Marblehead
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Marblehead
76
Your Score
—
Area Score
Cambridge
70
Your Score
70
Area Score
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Full profiles: Marblehead, MA · Cambridge, MA · How this is calculated: methodology